A Princeton man was arrested by the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office near Nebo on Tuesday after a complaint was received of a person passed out behind the wheel of an SUV.
Deputies said they responded to Warrior Coal on J.E. Ellis Lane around 7:10 Tuesday morning and found Brian Bender behind the wheel with the engine running. They said the vehicle had made contact with another vehicle in the parking lot.
During their investigation, deputies said Ellis appeared under the influence and gave consent to search his vehicle. The report said deputies found a pipe consistent with smoking drugs and a set of digital scales along with a quantity of marijuana and meth.
After Bender’s arrest and while being booked at the Hopkins County Detention Center, deputies said they also found nine Clonazepam pills in his pocket.
Bender was charged with public intoxication, trafficking a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, and third-degree possession of a controlled substance.
